Hamilton's Frog

Hamilton’s frog, or pepeketua, is one of New Zealand’s rarest native frogs and survives through managed Marlborough Sounds populations. The Maud Island population, once treated as a separate species (the Maud Island frog), is now included here. It is robust and light to dark brown with black blotches, almost unwebbed hind feet and no external eardrum; it is larger and less vividly patterned than Archey’s frog.

Original populations survived on Takapourewa/Stephens and Te Pākeka/Maud islands; translocations include Motuara, Long Island, Nukuwaiata and Zealandia in Wellington. It lives entirely on land, emerges in damp conditions to eat small invertebrates and develops directly without a free-swimming tadpole.

Hamilton's Frog is Threatened — Nationally Critical (NZ Threat Classification); introduced predators, disease and habitat change remain threats. Zealandia and Marlborough Sounds conservation islands hold managed populations, but the nocturnal frogs are rarely visible.